When Will Arizona Get a Decent Theme Park?

[printingray]

I stayed there in an hotel and had a great vacation about an year ago. The rooms were very nice, the water park kept us busy all day and all the team members were very courteous and helpful. The management staff was extremely helpful and accommodating. We will definitely decide some vacation at same place.

[Columbia Blue]

I love the idea of the space-themed amusement park. Perhaps make it a Air/Space themed park to broaden the appeal a bit. Along with the space themed rides, have a flight into a hurricane, or other weather/flight related attractions. Anyway it's an interesting idea. If it was started small it could grow into a major attraction.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by Columbia Blue

I love the idea of the space-themed amusement park. Perhaps make it a Air/Space themed park to broaden the appeal a bit. Along with the space themed rides, have a flight into a hurricane, or other weather/flight related attractions. Anyway it's an interesting idea. If it was started small it could grow into a major attraction.

In the early 90s there was a plan to build just that, off of I-8 around Gila Bend. There was a huge sign promising the new aviation-themed park. Nothing ever came out of it, so many variables working against it, mostly the ludicrous location.

Down by Eloy there was an attempt at a family fun park; the results are still visible on the southwest side of I-10, see picture of a "tower", courtesy of Street View. Poorly executed, it used cable spools and industrial gear to make a "robotic" park. An idea that fizzled due to money, or the lack thereof.

I do like your idea. Nothing out there like it, and with virtual rides out there, the sky's the limit, no pun intended.

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Down by Eloy there was an attempt at a family fun park; the results are still visible on the southwest side of I-10, see picture of a "tower", courtesy of Street View. Poorly executed, it used cable spools and industrial gear to make a "robotic" park. An idea that fizzled due to money, or the lack thereof.

That was supposed to be the WOOZ. Here's a little story about it's demise.

WIN SOME, WOOZ SOME - Page 1 - News - Phoenix - Phoenix New Times

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

That was supposed to be the WOOZ. Here's a little story about it's demise.

WIN SOME, WOOZ SOME - Page 1 - News - Phoenix - Phoenix New Times

The WOOZ Maze was replaced by the family park, in the mid 90s. It tanked as soon as it started. When I lived in Tucson I'd drive up to PHX quite a bit to visit and noticed the park's slow progress. Thanks for the memory jogger about the maze.

[Valley Native]

There have been many, many plans over the years to build theme parks in the desert outside of Phoenix, but none of them ever came to fruition. One of the last proposals was Decades, which was supposed to be a music based theme park located near Eloy. My understanding was it would have been mostly indoors, so the heat wouldn't be much of an issue.

I still don't see any valid reasons why Arizona can't have internationally known theme parks on the same level as what California and Florida have. There are lots of lame excuses floating around, but none of them are logical. The summer heat in Arizona is always listed as a reason to not build theme parks here, but the heat in Florida feels worse with all the humidity. People also like to say that we are too close to the theme parks of California, but I say that is all the MORE reason to have theme parks in Arizona ... for competition! I guess they would rather see California reap all the profits instead of trying to increase revenue here.

One more thing: Dubai is located in a desert region that can be even hotter than Phoenix, but guess what they have? That's right: an indoor ski resort! There is no legitimate reason why indoor theme parks can't be built in or near the Phoenix metro area. It seems like no matter what the plans are, there will always be the annoying, intrusive NIMBYs to try & put the kibosh on everything.

[autism360]

We almost had the Theme Park in Williams,and the Waveyard in Mesa but the economy died and funding dried up, hopefully as the economy improves new projects will come forward. It will be a moneymaker for whoever gets the first one going because it has been many years since anything new resembling a theme park was built.